Broken-Hearted
by BeautifulButBrokenxx
Summary: They were never meant to be. How could they? Nothing good ever happened to him or her, and if it did; it never lasted. It was a cycle for them. They were used to it. (Post) Avengers: Age of Ultron Fic.
1. Chapter 1

**You're everything I thought you never were  
And nothing like I thought you could have been**

They were never meant to be. How could they? Nothing good ever happened to him or her, and if it did; it never lasted. It was a cycle for them. They were used to it.

" _Who are you?"_

Those were the first words she said to him. The first time they met. Neither of them could or would ever forget it. She was his target; his mission. He and his beloved sister had decided to accept Coulson's request to join SH.I.E.L.D. Many had objected to the Maximoff twins joining because of their initial role in assisting Ultron. But after Clinton and the other Avengers testified to the twins' heroic actions during the final battle, all protest quickly died down.

Like all initiates, they went through training. Nothing out of the norm. After being experimented on by Hydra, almost anything S.H.I.E.L.D. threw at them was relatively easy. Soon enough, they started going on missions. They quickly rose to the top and became two of Shield's best agents.

It was a few months after joining the agency that they were assigned a mission. _The_ mission that would forever change his life and _hers_.

Amara Rasia Bennett.

Poor girl never had a chance. Abandoned in an alley at only three days old, a Good Samaritan found the infant and brought her to a local hospital. Of course, it was almost impossible to locate her birth parents so she was placed in the system. She went from house to house, home to home, and it was always the same thing. Something **always** went wrong.

It started out as small things. As far back as she could remember, whenever she was upset or sad or angry, something would fall. A book off the shelf, a bottle of perfume off the dresser. Little things. Then, when she was eight, she fell off her bike and scraped her knee. This particular family was one of the many cruel ones. They refused to give her any aid and forced the child to tend to her bleeding knee on her own. She was devastated. Five minutes later, she heard a piercing scream and found her foster mother, who was applying makeup to her face in the bathroom, dead. Thousands of pieces of glass scattered all over her face.

Everyone called the death a "Freak accident," but Amara knew the truth. She killed the woman, unintentionally, but still a murder. No one suspected the child, but she was still returned to the state shortly after the funeral. Her future families would never keep her for more than two months following the incident. They didn't suspect her to be the culprit, but instead were wary of taking in a child who had witnessed such a thing.

When she was fifteen, after a butcher knife "found" its way into the back of her would be rapist at her current foster home, she ran away. That's when _they_ found her. The man was nice enough. He offered her permanent shelter and a place where she would never have to worry about hurting anyone or being hurt ever again. Desperate and naïve, she accepted.

HYDRA, as she learned it was called, became her home. For a year, they facilitated her, worked with her. They taught her how to control her "gifts" as they called them and even helped her unleash more of her abilities. Then, once she finally mastered control, it all changed.

They drugged her, took her out of the country, to a remote location just outside of Russia and experimented on her. Of course, she tried to fight back, but realized their helping her control her gifts also meant they knew how to control _her_ and had created serums and drugs that hindered her abilities. She was trapped. She now understood everything. They were never interested in her. They were interested in her gifts. Specifically, they wanted to find out the source and a way to duplicate it. For two years, she was tested, experimented on, and tortured.

Any type of escape or plan to end her life all ended with viscous beatings and more torture. Eventually, she gave up and accepted her fate as HYDRA's guinea pig.

That's when **he** came. SHIELD had found another one of Hydra's secret locations and made it a mission to take it down. Not only was it a major lab for their experiment, but also many Shield agents were being held hostage. Captain America, Black Widow, along with the twins and a few agents were sent.

Natasha was in charge of gathering whatever Intel she could, while Steve and a few agents were the "muscle" and the twins were in charge of the rescue part.

Amara was lying in her cell, weak and barely coherent after a brutal beating earlier for "getting out of line." She heard the emergency sirens go off, letting her know there was a security breach. But she didn't care. They could bomb the place. She was too weak to move, and too tired to fight back. As far as she was concerned, they could all go to hell.

" _Get up wench!" She heard a man with a thick accent yell as he frantically jammed the code in to open the gates to her cell. "We're under attack!"_

" _Really?" Amara yawned, still starring at the wall. "I hadn't noticed." She knew she was going to die, so it didn't matter what she said or did at this point._

" _Why you little!" The man spat harshly before marching into the cell and yanking her up by her hair. Amara screamed internally, but refused to show her pain on the outside. "We must get you out of here quick. Shield must not-"_

" _Shield?" She questioned. She heard much talk about this Shield. They were Hydra's biggest threat. "You don't stand a chance," she giggled._

" _Silence!" He yelled as his fist made contact with her stomach. She doubled over in pain._

" _Sir!" A bleeding man came running up to the cell. "Captain America has just taken out another quadrant."_

 _The man holding Amara cursed loudly in his native language, "What else?!" He demanded, noticing the hesitant look on the his face._

" _The twins are with them…." Amara's eyebrows creased. She had no idea who the twins were but judging by the expression on the bastards face, they weren't good news._

" _Traitors," he spit bitterly. "Come, we must move quickly before they-"_

" _Black Widow has infiltrated the control room. All carriers are-" The man didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence. A bullet to his forehead made sure of it._

" _Ya know," Amara chuckled. "Now would probably be a good time to start your confessions-" This time she screamed loudly as she was thrown against the cell wall._

" _You are priceless to us and your gifts are unlike anything we've ever seen," the man admitted. Amara looked up at him with rage and hate. "Losing you would be catastrophic." A beat. "But letting Shield get their hands on you could mean the end to us all," he shakes his head._

" _Really? Where do I sign up then?" She fakes enthusiasm before being backhanded. Gently putting her hand to her mouth, she feels the blood starting to form. "I hope you burn in hell."_

 _He smiles evilly as he raises his gun to her head, "I have no plans to die today wench."_

" _Just get it over with you bastard," she gritted out, closing her eyes and preparing to finally be at peace. Hopefully._

 _She heard the click, and inhaled, waiting for the brief burn._

 _But, it never came._

 _Instead, she heard a swoosh and then a snap. Opening her eyes, she gasped at the sight of the man on the floor. Dead. His neck had been snapped._

 _She let out a shaky breath and looked down at him, "What-"_

" _Huh," her head quickly turned to look at the cell door where a man stood. "Guess he didn't see that coming?"_

" _Who are you?" She breathed out. He was tall, with white hair that was brown at the roots and had a little facial hair. He also spoke with a thick accent._

 _He crossed his arms and his piercing blue eyes met her brown ones, "Technically, I'm the one who's supposed to ask the questions."_

" _You're with Shield," she stated quietly._

" _I am," he admits casually. "But the question is," within seconds he's kneeled down in front of her. "Are you?"_

 _Her jaw dropped in shock, "How-"_

" _Pretty sure I've already established that I'm the one who asks the questions," he teased, taking in her appearance for the first time really. Matted, coal brown/blonde hair, tan skin adorned with cuts and bruises and raggedy clothes covering her battered, but curvy figure. Her eyes though, those are what really catch his attention. Large brown orbs with so much.…pain behind them. "Why was he going to kill you?" He questioned softly._

 _She smiles sadly, "Because Hydra would rather see me dead than with you…." She trails off, her eyes not once leaving his. Of course by 'you' she meant Shield. He knew that. But that didn't prevent the fluttering in her chest or the strange feeling growing in the pit of his stomach._

 _He reluctantly tears his eyes away from her to look at the corner of the wall as Steve's voice comes in through his earpiece._

" _I'm with the last rescue now," he replies to the Avengers question about his status. "We'll be out briefly. Ready the chopper."_

 _She looks at him strangely, "You're not going to kill me?"_

" _And give Hydra what they want? Nay. I did that once. Never again." He frowns briefly, before a charming smirk appears. "Besides," she gasps as he quickly, but briefly, scoops her up into his arms. Their eyes meet again. "I'd rather you with me than dead any day."_

That was the first time they ever met, but it certainly wouldn't be the last. Although she wasn't a Shield agent and he received a bit of a scolding for rescuing her, Coulson quickly realized she would be a blessing to Shield. Strangely, whenever anyone tried to question about her involvement would Hydra. She would stay silent. Not even Fury himself could get her to talk. That is until they brought _him_ in.

" _You know," he leaned against the door to her room. She was currently in the infirmary as Shield scientists and doctors had to treat and monitor her because of her weak, physical condition. She had to be nursed back to good health before she could leave. "I'm starting to get the feeling you're not big on the whole question and answer thing."_

 _She smiled softly, "Maybe I just don't like the person asking."_

 _He returned her smile and was instantly in the chair adjacent to her bed, "How are you feeling?"_

 _This was the first time they had seen each other since he rescued her a little over a week ago. He had been occupied with other obligations while she was stuck in that damn room._

" _I'm not dead," she shrugged, leaning back against the two pillows._

" _Don't let Hydra find out," he whispers, leaning in closely._

 _She chuckles, "Amara." He looks slightly confused, "My name is Amara." She sighed, looking down. "I ran away when I was fifteen and that's how Hydra found me. I didn't realize what they were then, and the man they sent to come recruit me made it all sound so-"_

" _Perfect," he supplied. "I know the feeling." She looked at him strangely, "I'll explain later. Please continue."_

" _They offered to help me and a place to stay, both of which I desperately needed. So I agreed. I quickly learned that it was a place unlike any I've been to or seen. But, they followed through and helped me-"_

" _Forgive my interruption love, but I don't see how torture and almost killing you constitute as 'help'," he stated, anger growing in his voice._

 _She bit her lip and focused on the unopened water bottle on the table across the room. Instantly, it was in the air before floating in front of him as he hesitantly grabbed it._

 _He looked at her in amazement, "Before Hydra, I would have brought this whole facility down if I wasn't careful. They taught me how to control my powers."_

" _Is there more?" He pressed, looking at her in admiration. "Can you do other things as well?"_

 _She nods meekly, "Aside from the telekinesis, I have telepathy, can project force fields and empathy. But, I try not to use that unless I have to. It's the hardest to control and makes it that much more difficult to balance the rest of my abilities."_

" _You're like Wanda," he said more to himself than to her. She looks confused. "My sister," he clarified. "Hydra experimented on us as well and that's how we received our abilities."_

" _Oh," she nods knowingly. "The experimentation. That's when it all started. It took them a year to help me control my 'gifts' and after that is when the testing and such started. That's when I realized their goal was never to help me. It was to help them learn how I got my powers." She shook her head, trying hard not to cry. "I spent two years as their lab rat." A beat. "Wait, you weren't born with yours? Hydra…gave them to you?"_

 _He nods, "My sister and I…..well we had nothing to lose, but everything to gain so we volunteered for one of their doctors experiments," he looked away. "What they didn't tell us that none of the other volunteers made it out alive because they couldn't survive the testing."_

" _But you two did," she finished for him._

 _Silence_

" _What's going to happen to me?" She questioned, starring at the ceiling._

" _I'm not sure," he admitted honestly. "Shield probably has you labeled as a risk-"_

" _Good"_

 _He looked at her, "Excuse me?"_

" _I refuse to go back to Hydra. I'd rather die," she confesses. "But, they were the only ones who were able to help me with my powers."_

" _I thought you said they taught you how to control them.."_

" _They did," she admits. "With their help. But after two years of being toyed with, I'm not sure what I can and can't do now." She shakes her head and wipes at her eyes, "I feel like I did when I was fifteen again. Lost." She looks down and allows a single tear to roll down her cheek._

 _She hears him move, but keeps her head down. Using his index finger, he raises her chin to make her look at him._

" _Well then, I guess we'll just have to help you find your way again, now won't we?"_

That day, Pietro (as she would learn was his name) dedicated himself to helping Amara. He and Wanda became her SO's and managed to help her, not only maintain control of her powers, but also finally feel like she belonged somewhere. She finally felt at home.

" _You're not focusing," Pietro commented, flipping Amara over on her back. It had been three months since the rescue and while she still had plenty of scars (mentally and physically) from her time with Hydra, she was back on her A game. She could handle intense training._

" _Stop talking and maybe I could," Amara muttered, quickly jumping up on her feet. Pietro moved to punch her, but she quickly blocked him and managed to gain the upper hand for a minute or two._

 _Didn't last long though._

 _Before she knew it, he had her arm behind her back and his arm across her neck._

" _You have to learn to stop hesitating before you make a move. In one split second, your opponent can gain the-" Pietro is cut off by her foot jamming into his and her free arm elbowing him in his stomach. Using her adrenaline, she's able to flip him on his back. Holding both of his arms down, she crawls on top of him, both legs on either side. "upper hand."_

" _What?" She cocks her head to the side, "You didn't see that coming?"_

 _He smirks, "I'm impressed."_

 _She pants, "I have a good SO."_

" _Is that so?" He quips a brow._

 _She nods, releasing his arms and sitting up. He props himself up on his elbows, "She's the best."_

 _He chuckles, "From what I heard, the brother is a far better trainer."_

 _She pretends to think about his statement, "Debatable."_

 _He laughs, sitting up fully. She moves to get off him, but his hands make their way to her hips preventing her from moving._

 _She bites her lip, "Pretty sure this could be seen as inappropriate conduct, Mr. Maximoff."_

" _Pretty sure I don't give a fuck Ms. Bennett," he murmurs, gently cupping her behind her neck._

" _Language," she scolds playfully._

 _He groans and laughs, "You have got to stop hanging around Steve so much."_

" _Come around more often and I would," she mumbles. "Or maybe if I could go with you-"_

" _Amara, we've been over this." He closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're not ready yet."_

" _It's been three months Pietro. You weren't even an agent for a month before they sent you out on a mission!" He sighs, motioning for her to move, before they both stand up. "Same with Wanda. I mean, you've also said it yourself. She and I are one in the same."_

" _She can handle herself out there Amara-"_

 _She scoffs sadly, "And you don't think I can?"_

" _I didn't say that," he turns to look at her._

 _She crosses her arms, "You didn't have to." He stays quiet, "Just forget I bought it up." She moves to walk past him._

" _Wait a minute," he grabs her by her forearm and pulls her in front of him. "Do you know why I decided to take you with me that day?" She shrugs her shoulders. "I decided to bring you because….when I looked in your eyes….I saw hurt, pain, no hope. I saw myself before Shield and all of this," he gestures around the room. "I would never wish that on anyone, let alone you."_

" _I'm not the same person that I was back then P," she reminds gently, placing a hand on his bicep._

" _I know," he looks up and sighs. "That's what I keep telling myself." He looks down again, "Then I see you and…." his fingers lightly graze over her arms. "all of your scars and I refuse to risk you going out there and getting hurt again." He grabs her hands and places them against his chest, "I'd die before I let anything else happen to you."_

 _She smiles warmly, "Nothing will. I promise you that. I owe my life to you and there's not a damn thing anyone can do to change the way I feel about you. Not Hydra, or Shield or even Fury himself."_

" _I love you Amara," he breathes suddenly, as if it was too painful for him to hold in any longer. She doesn't say anything, and that's fine with him because the awe look on her face and the reciprocated look in her eyes speak volumes. "What?" He smirks, throwing her earlier taunt back at her as his lips slowly inch to hers. "You didn't see that coming?"_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I forgot to mention, but this will be a short story. No more than 10 chapters. So, if things seem a little rushed, that's why. Enjoy! :) Also, I added another character from another Marvel production. Hope you catch on and/or like. Thanks!**

* * *

 **...But still you live inside of me,**

 **So tell me how is that?**

Keeping a forbidden relationship a secret is hard enough as it is, but throw in a hush-hush agency and 'Earth's mightiest heroes' and shit is damn near impossible. At least, that's how Amara felt. Being with Pietro was both a blessing and a curse. He was everything she ever wanted in life, and everything she wasn't supposed to have. She was now an official SHIELD agent. So was he. They had strict rules to abide by. No mixing business with pleasure was one of those rules. Of course, Pietro being…..well, Pietro, seemed convince that being an Avenger _and_ an agent made him exempt to SHIELD's rules. Well, that rule at least. Amara didn't feel this way though.

She was with SHIELD now and would follow their rules.

At least, she tried to.

She didn't find it hard to keep herself occupied when not on missions. In between her training with Wanda and Pietro, _more_ training with Steven and Natasha and the testing she had to go through to complete her transition into an agent, her schedule was booked. It wasn't even two weeks after that eventful training session with Pietro that she received her first mission. She was thrilled. It was a relatively easy assignment that went according to plan. In the month since, she had been on numerous more. Many occurred while Pietro himself was out on missions so it made the time he was away pass by even faster.

 _Amara glanced at the clock on the microwave. 11:45. She covered a yawn. It was getting late. Hopping off the bar stool, she reached in the fridge and grabbed a water bottle._

" _Hey Vis," she motioned to the android who was sitting on another bar stool. "I'm gonna head to bed."_

 _He nods toward her, "Very well, I shall stay up and keep watch." The Avengers and a few "up there" Shield members were currently out at a function. Even with the ridiculously effective security system the Avengers training facility had, Vision would always stay up and keep an eye on things until everyone returned. He was extremely cautious and watchful._

" _If you insist," she chuckles, knowing he also plans on being able to greet a certain Maximoff as soon as she gets home. It was no secret the two had feelings for each other. They grew closer and closer everyday. Of course, they kept things to a minimum and maintained professionalism. "Night"_

" _Evening Ms. Bennett," he calls after her retreating form._

 _She shakes her head not even bothering to correct him. She had lost count of how many times she had told him that "Amara" would do just fine. It seemed to not stick with him though._

 _Humming to herself, she makes her way across the building and in the elevator. That was one thing she didn't like about her newest home. The size. For example, the cafeteria was all the way on the west wing of the building while her room was on the east wing. Of course, when Pietro was around, he would always whisk to her room. He wasn't home though so she would just have to stick to the old fashioned way._

 _Finally reaching her room, she pushes the button for the sliding doors to open before entering and closing the doors just as fast as she opened them. Using her powers to flip the light switch on, Amara jumps in shock and has to stop herself from screaming._

" _Pietro!" She whispers harshly at the sight of the silvered hair man lying on her bed. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you-" She shakes her head, "Don't answer that second one."_

 _He smiles at her, "Didn't plan on it." Sitting up on her bed, he moves over and pats the seat next to him. She doesn't move._

" _Answer my question," she crosses her arms. "I just came from downstairs with Vision-"_

" _Of course," he rolls his eyes. He honestly has no problem with the android. Hell, if it wasn't for him Ultron would have wiped out the human race. No, his issue is with the beings interest in his sister and vice versa. Granted, he knows Visions feelings for Wanda are not the same as his interest with Amara, but Pietro is territorial at heart. It's in his nature to be protective over the people he cares about._

" _We're not even gonna start that," Amara sighs, and starts tapping her foot impatiently. "But you are gonna answer me or I'll thrash your ass into that damn wall until you're unconscious."_

 _Pietro pretends to look hurt, "Such violence love."_

" _P…" Amara trails off growing agitated._

" _I left," he finally answers._

" _What do you mean you left?" She questions, looking at him with a 'what the hell' expression. "Director Fury and Captain America said you had to go."_

" _And I did," he defends. "They didn't say how long I had to stay though." He smirks._

 _Amara sighs, "P, I swear to God, if Fury comes down on my ass for this-"_

" _He's not even here," Pietro defends, throwing his hands up. "Besides, galas and functions aren't really my thing. He knows that. I always feel so out of place," he finishes with a slight frown._

 _Being an Avenger came with countless responsibilities. Ones that included keeping people save and the long journey to ultimately eliminating Hydra were privileges to Pietro. Attending functions and events to create a good image for himself? That was another story._

 _Amara drops her arms (and guard) and saunters over to the bed. "It's nothing like you're used to. Evening gowns, cocktail drinks, and caviar – it almost feels foreign." She sits down next to him, crossing her legs._

" _Exactly," he nods in agreement. "Plus, everything goes by so slow." He groans._

 _She laughs, "You're faster than the speed of light Pietro. Everything is slow to you."_

 _He chuckles bitterly, "Don't remind me."_

 _She frowns, "Is it hard?"_

 _He looks at her quizzically, "What do you mean?"_

" _I mean," she nervously tucks a string of hair behind her ear. "It's in your nature to operate at an inhuman pace. The rate at which everything moves is practically working against you. It seems like you constantly have to remind yourself to slow down and I don't know, it just seems to me like it would be-"_

" _Tiring, frustrating?" He finishes for her. She nods. "It is. It's practically painful at times. I almost wish I didn't have speed then I remember I owe it my life."_

" _The battle with Ultron," she says quietly, already knowing what he's referring to. He had told her all about what happened. He risked his life to save Hawkeye and a child. Multiple bullets entered his body. They thought him dead. Miraculously, his abilities also include an accelerated healing rate. It took about a week for him to wake up, and two to recover, but he made it through. He was still alive._

 _Without realizing it, her hand reaches out to lightly graze over his chest. He doesn't react. "Does it hurt?"_

" _Not anymore," he responds, smiling at the innocence in her voice. "The scars are pretty much gone too except for one. Stubborn little fucker."_

 _She bites her lip, "Can I…"_

 _Without her having to finish, he moves to lift his shirt over his head. Her breath hitches. She had seen him shirtless before, but never at this close of proximity. His body is drool worthy. Toned and muscular in all the right areas. She gently runs her fingers over his chest. He was right. You could barely see any reminders of the notorious day except for one particularly close to his shoulder. Her hand finally settles on the mark._

" _It's beautiful. A testament to your bravery. A battle scar," she whispers._

" _So are yours," he adds on gently, eyes falling to her cardigan-covered torso. Though she's never said anything, he can tell the marks left on her body from Hydra's experimentation cause her to be self conscious._

 _She scoffs sadly, "That's cause you haven't seen all of them."_

" _I don't have to," he continues. "I see you. Your heart. Your soul. Who you are as a person. Everything about you is beautiful. Inside and out."_

 _She doesn't say anything, and instead moves to lift the sweater over her head. The crop top black camisole leaves her scarred abdomen and arms exposed._

" _This isn't even all of them," she explains, looking down at her lap. "Still think I'm beautiful?"_

 _In an instant, he has her on his lap, both legs on either side of him. "Beyond," he breathes, eyes darting back and forth from her eyes to her lips. "You have no idea what you do to me Amara." He closes his eyes, "How hard it is to control myself when I'm with you. How many times I have to stop myself…" He trails off and she doesn't even have to ask him what he means. The hardness she feels growing underneath her speaks volumes._

 _She looks up at him innocently, "What if you didn't have to?"_

 _His eyes snap open, "You don't have to-"_

" _But I want to," she cuts him off, placing her arms around his neck. "I want_ _ **you**_ _. All of you."_

 _He cups her face and stares her straight in the eyes, "Are you sure?"_

" _I am," she confirms softly. "Just take it slow, okay? No pun intended," she finishes with a smirk, letting her curls out of the hair tie that was holding them up._

 _He laughs, before her words really sink in, "Wait," he pauses. "Have you ever…" She starts shaking her head slowly._

" _I've never been with someone that I cared enough about, or even loved," she explains with a shrug of her left shoulder. "Until now at least." A beat. "Unless you don't want to," she starts to frown and moves to get off his lap. "We don't-" Before she can even finish her sentence; he's switched their positions. Her back is against the bed as he hovers over her, careful not to put too much of his weight on her._

" _I just don't want you to regret anything come tomorrow morning," he admits, as his fingers draw circles on her stomach. "I can't even stay the whole night," he continues, frustrated with Shield's policies. If it were up to him, he'd stay_ _ **every**_ _night._

" _Then we'll just have to make it quick," she winks, reaching up to caress his hair._

 _He grins at her reference to the name the media has taken a liking to calling him._

 _Quicksilver_

" _No," his smile drops and that infamous, sexy smirk of his appear. "Tonight," his lips go to her neck planting kisses as his hands move to play with the hem of her top. "Tonight, you shall see not everything I do requires speed." He parts from her neck only to pull her shirt over her head and just as soon as he's done, he continues his assault on her neck. "Tonight I'll_ _ **show**_ _you how just how much I love you."_

Amara would never forget that night. It was painful, amazing, tiring, yet fulfilling all at once. True to his word, Pietro was unable to stay with Amara the whole night. He was granted leniency with the rules, but being caught in bed together would push it. Moreover, he had to remind himself that Amara was just a Shield agent, not an Avenger. They wouldn't be so easy on her. He didn't want that. So, in the middle of the night, he (reluctantly, **very** reluctantly) quietly snuck out Amara's room.

When she first woke up, Amara couldn't deny the disappointment at waking up alone. Sure, she knew she would, but reality didn't set in until she turned over and saw the empty space. She also couldn't deny or ignore the painful throbbing in between her legs as she dragged her aching body out of bed.

To make matters worse, as soon as she made her way downstairs she was informed that she would be doing one-on-one training with Romanov.

" _You didn't," was the first thing Amara heard her friend and fellow agent as she sat down at the table with her and Wanda._

" _Didn't what?" Amara questioned, giving Skye a confused expression. Skye was one of the first people, aside from the twins, to welcome her into Shield. It also helped that Skye too had abilities. She was what they called an Inhuman. Skye, Wanda, and Amara all grew very close in a short period._

 _Skye smirks knowingly, "I'd recognize that wobble anywhere Mar."_

 _Wanda's eyes go wide, "You and Pietro-"_

 _Amara quickly 'shh's both of her friends, "I'd rather the whole facility not know if you don't mind."_

" _So you did," Skye crosses her arms. "That would explain the noise-"_

" _You know, if this were anyone else, I'd love to chat with you two, but considering it's my brother, I think I'll sit this one out." Wanda grimaces, as she stands up with her tray. "I need to talk to Vision anyway. I'll see you guys later." She says with a small wave before walking out of the café._

" _Did you really hear us?" Amara whispers frantically, apprehension growing in her stomach._

 _Skye laughs, "Of course not. I was just messing with you." Amara glares and flips her the middle finger. "So," The brunette trails off._

 _Amara sighs, "You wanna know how it was?"_

" _Not a full and thorough rundown. Just a summary. CliffNotes," Skye shrugs causally. "Not that I don't already have an idea. I mean, every part of that man is enhanced right?" Amara blushes profusely, "I'm just glad to see he didn't kill you."_

" _Just my cervix," Amara mutters, worming around in her chair. "It gets better right? Don't get me wrong. It was fucking amazing. This post sex feeling though? Not so much."_

" _It does," Skye reassures. "For most people at least."_

" _Most?" Amara repeats._

" _Well," Skye chuckles nervously, realizing that probably wasn't the best thing to say. "For me, yeah. It was just the first few times then nothing but smooth sailing. But I've had friends tell me that the pain doesn't really go away. It just, diminishes? I don't know how to explain it."_

" _Great," Amara groans, forcefully stabbing her food._

" _Hey," Skye reaches out to grab Amara's free hand. "Cheer up. You have an amazing, freakishly hot, and_ _ **talented,**_ _" she winks at the last adjective making Amara laugh. "-boyfriend who just rocked your world. Aftershocks are just a minor side effect." A beat. "Things could always be worse girl."_

" _You're right," she smiles at her friend. "For once, my life isn't a fucked up HBO inspired original. I can't complain." A beat. "Training with Natasha-"_

 _Skye almost spits out her orange juice, "Natahsa? As in Romanov? You have training with her today?" Amara nods, looking at her friend strangely. "Hurry up and finish eating."_

" _Why?" Amara frowns._

" _We need to get to the infirmary ASAP and get you some pain pills," Skye gulps down the last bit of her coffee._

" _It's not that bad Sk-" Amara tries to reason, but is quickly cut off._

" _Have you ever trained with Natasha before?" Amara shakes her head 'no'. "That's what I thought. They don't call her "Black Widow" for nothing Mar. She's gonna work your ass to the grave. We need to get some medicine in you before you start so you don't drop dead on her."_

" _Fuck," Amara moans, running her hand over her face._

" _Yeah, no. Pretty sure that's what got you into this mess in the first place."_

" _Skye!"_


	3. Chapter 3

**_You're the only one I wish I could forget_**

 ** _The only one I love to not forgive_**

 _Amara shifted in her chair. Getting called into Director Fury's office was nothing any agent or even Avenger particularly liked. Half of the time, the reason behind the summoning wasn't good. But when she walked in and saw not only the twins, but Steve, Natasha, Skye and a few other agents; she was relieved. It was awkward walking past the empty seat next to Pietro. His eyes stayed on her as soon as she entered the room. She knew he wanted her to sit next to him. Hell, she wanted to sit next to him. But, she was very adamant about maintaining that line between professionalism and their personal relationship. Pietro might not have given a fuck, but she did. So, she sat next to Skye, which of course, also had her directly across from her lover._

" _Agent Hill, where is Stark?" Director Fury questioned, walking into the room with his assistant following close behind. He didn't even acknowledge those in the room. He wasn't exactly a people person._

" _Last communication with Mr. Stark was roughly 20 minutes ago, sir," Maria Hill responded. Amara had no issues with Fury's eyes and ears. She was just a little too serious for her liking sometime. "He stated he would be here in five minutes."_

" _And you believed him?" Steve muttered, looking extremely irritated. He was nice enough too. Unless your name was Tony Stark. The two seemed to have a love/hate relationship._

 _As if on cue, Iron Man himself walked in, "What, no red carpet? I'm a little disappointed."_

" _Nice of you to join us Stark," Fury stated plainly._

" _Good to see you too Popeye," he slapped Fury on the arms before pulling out the seat Fury was standing in front of. "Lara Croft, Stripes," he motioned toward Romanov and Rogers. "Minions," he waved towards everyone else._

" _Does he have to be here?" Pietro questioned. He and Wanda had set aside their hate for the man, but were still annoyed by him._

" _I'm with Jack Frost over there," Tony pointed to Pietro who rolled his eyes. "Not that I don't love our little family meetings-"_

" _The feeling isn't mutual," Wanda glared at the billionaire._

" _I missed you too Carrie," Tony countered, glancing at the Maximoff girl before his eyes settled on Amara. He placed his index finger against his lips, squinting his eyes slightly, "Who's the newbie?"_

" _And again, I ask, why is he here?" Pietro repeats, clearly ready to jump Tony._

" _I've asked you all here today because it seems as if our friends at Hydra aren't very happy with our recruiting their enhanced," Fury starts to explain. "Four more have been spotted-"_

" _Four?" Skye questions, shocked at the number. Usually, there was no more than three at a time._

 _Agent Hill presses something on the tablet in her hand before an interactive hologram appears on the middle of the table, "All have been experimented on by Hydra and each possess a set of skills that will require a special team." Four candid pictures appear on the screen. Three guys and one girl. Hill looks toward Fury for a silent approval to go on. He nods, and she continues, "First enhanced is Damian Jones. 21. Volunteer-"_

" _Idiot," Tony mutters only to receive death glares from the twins. "No offense Jack and Jill."_

" _He's a telekinetic," she finishes, rolling her eyes at Starks interruption._

 _She switches to the next picture, "Next is Adam West. 22. Another volunteer-_

" _Not a word Stark," Fury says casually, not even taking his eyes off the hologram._

" _He has invisibility," she goes to another picture. "Then we have his younger brother, Joshua, 18, who can manipulate water. Autopsy on his victim said the guy died from asphyxiation due to drowning…" she trails off, as if it was a strange death._

" _What's so weird about that?" Steve questions, crossing his arms._

" _There wasn't an once of water within 300 yards of the crime scene. He drowned internally," Fury replies, clasping his hands together._

 _Steve's mouth forms an 'O'. Hill Continues._

" _Finally we have Meredith Phillips. 21. Another volunteer. Ironically Skye, like you, she can create earthquakes."_

" _Well I guess I know who I'll be talking to," Skye chuckles._

" _That's where things get interesting," Fury sighs._

" _Why do I get the feeling 'interesting' really means 'complicated'?" Amara frowns._

" _Agent Hill if you will," Fury requests before a video starts playing. It includes the four enhanced Hydra agents the group just was briefed on._

 _All four appear to be drunk, laughing ridiculously hard over seemingly nothing, before Adam gets in front of the camera._

" _So apparently we're supposed to make this shit all intimidating and whatnot, but I mean, come on, where's the fun in that?" He laughs loudly. "Alright, alright, I'm good," he finished gulping down a Budd Light before throwing it somewhere off screen. "Here's the deal," he starts, sounding more serious. "You guys are pissing Hydra the fuck off. Recruiting their people or some shit. To be honest, I could care less about the details. Al I care about is my mission," suddenly, any signs of playfulness in his voice drops. The look on his face is that of a cold-blooded killer, "And my mission,_ _ **our**_ _mission, is to take out those two freaks you call Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch," Amara doesn't even have to look at Pietro to know his reaction. Lord knows he'll kill anyone who even dares to_ _ **try**_ _and hurt his sister. Poor kid had no idea what he was in for. "And the bitches Skye and Amara."_

" _Well isn't he charming," Natasha says sarcastically, noticing Pietro's death grip on the arm chair at the mention of Agent Bennett._

" _Although," Adam gives a dark chuckle. "I must admit, I wouldn't mind having a little fun with Ms. Wanda before I snap her pretty, little neck like a twig."_

" _Turn it off," Pietro says dangerously calmly._

" _You can have her," a drunken Damian suddenly pops up in the video. "Now Amara? I'll fuck that mulatto bitch senseless."_

" _Who uses 'mulatto'?" Tony asks no one in particular, before an all too familiar blue blur speeds past anyone. Amara looks up across from her to see an empty seat._

" _I'll get him," Steve volunteers much to Amara's dismay. Of course, she probably would be the last person allowed to go talk to him, but she also knows she's probably the_ _ **only**_ _one he wants to talk to._

" _I think they get the point Agent Hill," Fury says with a sigh before Maria turns off the video._

" _So this isn't a rescue mission then?" Wanda queries, her thick accent overpowering some of her syllables. "It's an elimination match."_

" _Precisely," Shield's director confirms. "But, what I really want to know is why, all of a sudden, Hydra is so hell bent on producing so many enhanced agents?"_

" _Isn't it obvious?" Amara says without really thinking. "I'm sorry-"_

" _No, please, elaborate Halle Scary," Tony encourages._

 _She suppresses an eye roll, before continuing, "The fight between Hydra and Shield has always been relatively simple. Agents against agents. Aside from Captain America, they've never really had a problem keeping up. But the game is changing. You've got Hydra agents with guns fighting against a kid that moves faster than the speed of light and a girl that can create earthquakes with the flick of her wrist for crying out loud."_

" _They're trying to even out the playing field," Natasha mumbles to herself, but loud enough so everyone else can hear. "Create an army," she looks toward Nick who looks like he agrees with the newest recruit._

" _It also seems like their enhanced are advancing more and more, but where exactly are they getting the technology? I mean; we know Loki's scepter was a gold mine for them, but didn't Thor take it with him when he returned to Asgard? It doesn't add up."_

 _Tony nods in agreement with Skye, "Legolas mentioned "forces" having something to do with Ultron and that mess. That's also why he left."_

" _He was going to check everything out, and no one has seen or heard from him since then," Natasha frowns._

" _If only we could get a Hydra agent to talk, ya know?" Amara bites her lip. "Maybe give us a hint as to who they're working with or even for."_

" _Exactly," Wanda agrees. "Worse part is we can't even get inside their head. Last time I tried, I ended up in the infirmary. It seems as if they've created a serum that gives them immunity to our powers."_

" _What if I told you we had a former Hydra agent who actually gave us everything we asked for, but has a history of betrayal so we would need someone to go in his head and reassure us that we're not sending our people out on suicidal missions."_

" _You find me someone like that and I'll do it. Gladly." Amara volunteers, looking directly at Fury._

 _He chuckles, "Bring him in."_

 _Everyone looks confused except for Natasha, Maria and Nick himself._

 _In walks six Shield agents, surrounded by a man in handcuffs._

" _Of course," Tony shakes his head. "The prisoner gets the welcoming party."_

" _Ward?" Skye stands up, looking extremely pissed off at the sight of her ex….everything._

" _That's Ward?" Amara points at the raven-haired man, eyes darting back and forth between him and Skye. "The same Ward who betrayed, hell, everyone."_

" _In the flesh," Natasha says blankly._

" _Nice to see you too Romanov," Grant smirks, before his eyes fall on his former trainee. "Skye"_

 _She just glares at him as if it will make him go away._

" _Ward here has been surprisingly cooperative during his stay," Fury lifts himself from his seat, motioning the guards to make Grant sit down. They oblige, forcing the former Shield/Hydra agent in the seat._

" _Not like I had much of a choice," Grant mutters sarcastically._

" _And if he cooperates with this next part, he is free to walk." Fury gestures to Amara who gets up from her own seat and walks up to Ward. "Agent Bennett here is one of our enhanced. Her abilities are similar to those of Wanda's."_

" _You want her to read my mind," Grant cuts him off with a dark undertone. "Make sure I've been telling you the truth."_

" _Exactly," Amara smirks. "And don't worry, I could care less about your personal issues. All I want to see is your knowledge of Hydra. It won't hurt. I promise. Unless, you try and hide something from me. Then, I'll have to dig and pull it out which won't exactly be a very pleasant experience for you."_

" _How do we know the same serum that almost killed me isn't in him?" Wanda wonders, with a slight frown on her face. Pietro would go ballistic if anything happened to Amara that was preventable._

" _Ward joined Hydra ages ago," Skye clarifies. "Long before any of this alien business went viral. She should be fine."_

 _Fury proceeds to brief her on everything Ward had told him before she goes into his mind._

 _Amara takes a deep breath and moves closer to Grant, placing her hands around his head, as if she were creating a protective force around it._

" _Try and stay still," she warns, closing her eyes._

 _Although hesitant, everything seems to go as planned. She's able to easily navigate through his mind and memories. Everything he said lines up to what she sees. But, about halfway through her 'search', she feels something. It's not painful, but more irritating. It feels like something is trying to pull her back. She grits her teeth, and tries to ignore it. But the annoyance quickly turns into slight pain, morphing into aching, and finally full-blown agony. Thankfully, she is able to hold on until she reaches the end. Finally, when she releases his hold, she also lets out a loud and painful gasp._

 _What happens next shocks even Fury._

 _As soon as she drops her hands, his leg extends out, kicking Amara halfway across the room. Shield agents quickly grab the Ward and hold him down. Skye and Wanda jump up to tend to their friend. Natasha, being Natahsa, marches across the room and swiftly kicks Grant right in the face, knocking him out._

 _Amara lands against a wall, her torso feeling like it's on fire, but the pain in her head is ten times worse. She grabs her head, squinting her eyes shut, letting out whimpers._

 _Of course, it's at this moment Steve and Pietro decide to return._

" _What the-" the other Maximoff twin who, in an instant, is by Amara's side, cuts off Steve._

 _His arms wrap around her tightly, "What the hell happened?"_

" _She tried looking into Ward's mind-"_

" _Ward?" Pietro cuts off Skye. "Wasn't he with Hydra? Are you people fucking insane?" He spits harshly as Amara rests her head against his chest. "Wanda almost died from that!"_

" _We need to get her to the infirmary," Wanda suggests, not wanting to upset her brother even more than he already is. "For her head and to make sure she doesn't have any broken ribs or-"_

" _Broken ribs?!" Pietro all but shouts. "What the hell else happened?!"_

" _I'm fine-" Amara finally speaks up._

" _Like hell you are," Skye disagrees. "You're lucky that's all Ward-"_

 _Pietro's head snaps up as he puts two and two together. Ward attacked her._

" _Son of a bitch," the furious twin spits harshly, moving to get up and possibly end Grants life, but Amara grabs onto his chest to stop him._

" _No, don't." She pleads, still looking down as she tries to alleviate the pain. "It doesn't matter anymore. I got it." She wills herself to look up and catches those piercing blue eyes she's grown to love. "I got what we need."_

An hour later though would find Amara in a completely different scenario and mood.

" _He pisses me the fuck off," Amara barked, walking down the hall, before heading into the lounge. "He thinks he knows everything." Without even looking around, she reaches straight into the fridge to grab a water bottle._

" _Well, I kinda do," Amara jumps in shock and turns to see Tony Stark sitting at the table, eating a bowl of ice cream. "Hence, the whole genius-"_

" _Playboy, billionaire, philanthropist," she finishes for him. "I know."_

" _Ah, so they are actually teaching you kids something useful down here," Tony says with a single clap. "You know, besides how to be assassins."_

" _Comes in handy," Amara nods, taking a sip of her water. "Ask agent Romanov."_

" _Yeah, I'd rather not," he replies quickly, gesturing to the seat opposite of him. "Care to keep me company as I continue to hide out from Fury?"_

" _There's no such thing as hiding from Fury."_

" _The irony huh?"_

 _She laughs at that, and catches a small smile appear on the billionaire's face, before sitting down in the seat._

" _Let me guess," Tony starts, after a few seconds of silence. "Has something to do with Q-Tip head?" She looks at him, wondering how in the hell he knew about her and Pietro. "Kinda obvious, with the not so subtle, subtle, looks you two kept giving each other."_

" _He's upset about what happened with Ward," she rolls her eyes. "Said it was a 'stupid' and too 'spur of the moment' idea.'"_

 _After forcing her to go the Infirmary (where she was checked out after 20 minutes), the two headed back to her room where a fight kicked off. Pietro was furious that Amara would volunteer to do such a thing. She tried explaining that the intel she learned far outweighed the events that followed. Of course, he wasn't trying to hear any reason and ended up storming out of her room._

 _Tony cracks his head to the side, "Understandable."_

 _Amara's mouth drops slightly, "You're kidding me right? You actually agree with him?" She scrunches her nose and Tony has to stop himself from saying something he'll regret…. "Are you feeling okay?"_

" _I know it's hard to believe given me and Frosty's history," he starts with a sigh. "But the kid and I actually have something in common."_

" _You're both Avengers?"_

" _Yeah, no, I'm an Avenger. He's a mini-venger, the sidekick, wintertime Robin" Amara grins. "We both had near death experiences."_

 _She frowns slightly, "Except Pietro actually physically died."_

" _I'm trying to be helpful here kid and you're going into specifics?" A beat. "The point is, things like that tend to change people. You suddenly have a newfound appreciation for life, and value of those close to you," He starts playing with his spoon. "You overreact to the little things only because you care a hell of a lot more than you did before."_

 _Amara sighs, "I know he cares and I love him for that considering he's probably the first and only person to actually give a fuck about me." This time Tony is the one to frown. Hearing that hurts more than he'd ever let on. "But, I hate him thinking of me as weak. I can take care of myself."_

" _Clearly," Tony nods in agreement. "But, you gotta admit, wouldn't you rather have someone care too much, then to not care at all?"_

 _Silence_

" _You know, for an arrogant asshole, you give some pretty damn good advice," Amara admits, with a crooked smile._

" _Well, I have been known to surprise people once in while."_

 _The two share a smile and Amara can't help but notice the strange look in the superhero's eyes._

" _Agent Bennett," Amara jumps up and stands up at the sight of Director Fury._

" _Sir," she acknowledges in a professional tone._

" _Captain and Agent Romanov have requested your presence in the training room. They want to go over a few last minute details for your mission tonight." He explains, arms behind his back._

" _Yes sir," she replies, heading by the door before stopping. On impulse, she walks over by Tony, giving him a swift hug. "Thanks for the advice," she murmurs softly, before running out the door._

 _Fury raises his eyebrow after she leaves, watching a shocked Stark very closely._

" _She's so much like her mother," Tony says quietly, looking at the bowl. "From her personality, to her eyes, to even the curly hair…" he trails off._

" _If you ask me," Fury takes Amara's seat. "She takes more after her dad's personality." Tony's head shoots up to look at him. "Are you going to tell her?"_

 _Tony takes a good three minutes before responding._

" _Kid's already been through enough." a beat. "She's happy. The Maximoff really seems to care about her and she's crazy over him. Things are finally going in her favor for once in her life." Tony gives a bitter chuckle, "Last thing she needs is her arrogant asshole of a father messing everything up again."_


End file.
